The Criterion Collection

[Scottie]

Now that I've seen Rosetta, I can rank the Dardenne Brothers films in order from most favorite to least favorite. The Kid With A Bike is my most favorite one, followed by La Promesse, and lastly Rosetta.

I didn't like Rosetta. I think the concept was good and it had a realistic portrayal of a terrible home life, but it was so repetitive after a while. The characters all ended up getting on my nerves.

Don't get me wrong, Rosetta lived a pretty terrible life, but I feel as if the other films had a stronger impact on me. The kids in those films were much younger and already had a terrible childhood. We didn't see Rosetta's childhood per say, but she appeared to have been high school age - where the other kids were only in elementary / middle school.

Two questions I have about the film:

[Show spoiler]1. What was wrong with her stomach?
2. Did she fail killing herself at the end?

[metaridley]

My Criterion order shipped this morning. Impressive! Most impressive.

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Umberto D is great!!! It gets too little love around here

I refuse to watch films in which animals (especially dogs) are put in jeopardy/neglected/killed/etc., if I know about it beforehand. Otherwise I'd watch this.

[SammyJankis]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Now that I've seen Rosetta, I can rank the Dardenne Brothers films in order from most favorite to least favorite. The Kid With A Bike is my most favorite one, followed by La Promesse, and lastly Rosetta.

I didn't like Rosetta. I think the concept was good and it had a realistic portrayal of a terrible home life, but it was so repetitive after a while. The characters all ended up getting on my nerves.

Don't get me wrong, Rosetta lived a pretty terrible life, but I feel as if the other films had a stronger impact on me. The kids in those films were much younger and already had a terrible childhood. We didn't see Rosetta's childhood per say, but she appeared to have been high school age - where the other kids were only in elementary / middle school.

Two questions I have about the film:

[Show spoiler]1. What was wrong with her stomach?
2. Did she fail killing herself at the end?

[Show spoiler]1. No idea. It's never explained.
2. You mean when she turns on the gas in the trailer? Yeah, she decided not to and move on with her life. When she's carrying that container (can't remember what it was exactly), she finally lets out her emotions. Maybe she'll now confide with the boy? Maybe not.

I didn't dislike it. I appreciated its lack of glossiness or sentimentality. Like I said before, though, it's definitely my least favorite of theirs.

You should watch The Son.

[Scottie]

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

[Show spoiler]1. No idea. It's never explained.
2. You mean when she turns on the gas in the trailer? Yeah, she decided not to and move on with her life. When she's carrying that container (can't remember what it was exactly), she finally lets out her emotions. Maybe she'll now confide with the boy? Maybe not.

I didn't dislike it. I appreciated its lack of any glossiness or sentimentality. Like I said before, though, it's definitely my least favorite of theirs.

You should watch The Son.

It seemed as if

[Show spoiler]the canister ran out of gas. Divine intervention perhaps?

I hope that The Son is released via Criterion.

[brandon_260]

Picked up Tokyo Drifter from the library today, looking to watch it over the weekend. I did not care for Branded to Kill, but I'm hoping this situation ends up the same way my experience with Resnais did. I didn't care for Marienbad, but I loved, loved, loved Hiroshima Mon Amour.

Originally Posted by iScottie

Now that I've seen Rosetta, I can rank the Dardenne Brothers films in order from most favorite to least favorite. The Kid With A Bike is my most favorite one, followed by La Promesse, and lastly Rosetta.

I didn't like Rosetta. I think the concept was good and it had a realistic portrayal of a terrible home life, but it was so repetitive after a while. The characters all ended up getting on my nerves.

Don't get me wrong, Rosetta lived a pretty terrible life, but I feel as if the other films had a stronger impact on me. The kids in those films were much younger and already had a terrible childhood. We didn't see Rosetta's childhood per say, but she appeared to have been high school age - where the other kids were only in elementary / middle school.

Two questions I have about the film:

[Show spoiler]1. What was wrong with her stomach?
2. Did she fail killing herself at the end?

I too wasn't much into Rosetta. Aside from Le silence de Lorna, it's my least favorite Dardenne film.

I feel like if Criterion does release The Son, it won't be for a while. Don't hold off on watching it just because it's not in the collection. It's one of the best films of its decade and their best film overall.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by metaridley

I refuse to watch films in which animals (especially dogs) are put in jeopardy/neglected/killed/etc., if I know about it beforehand.

Nicholas Roeg's Walkabout may not be a good Criterion recommendation for you.

Wake In Fright will certainly not be up your alley.

I dig both of these films, but the animal hunting footage makes me wince each time. Funnily enough, these are side-by-side in my collection as the Least Effective Sales Pitch For Australian Vacations of sorts.

[metaridley]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

Nicholas Roeg's Walkabout may not be a good Criterion recommendation for you.

Wake In Fright will certainly not be up your alley.

I dig both of these films, but the animal hunting footage makes me wince each time. Funnily enough, these are side-by-side in my collection as the Least Effective Sales Pitch For Australian Vacations of sorts.

Actually, I've already seen Walkabout. It was a good movie! I don't mind people hunting animals for food (even though I'd rather not see it) but since I'm sure these actors were provided for by catering services, it seemed unnecessary to kill actual animals on film. Oh well, what's done has long since been done.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by metaridley

Actually, I've already seen Walkabout. It was a good movie! I don't mind people hunting animals for food (even though I'd rather not see it) but since I'm sure these actors were provided for by catering services, it seemed unnecessary to kill actual animals on film. Oh well, what's done has long since been done.

That's a good way to look at it.

Wake in Fright carries things to the next level, and it's genuinely a disturbing take on the hunting. Of course, a lot of things about that movie disturb me. It's sort of the wild card of my Blu-ray collection, along with Peckinpah's Straw Dogs and John Boorman's Deliverance.

[Thebunk]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

Picked up Tokyo Drifter from the library today, looking to watch it over the weekend. I did not care for Branded to Kill, but I'm hoping this situation ends up the same way my experience with Resnais did. I didn't care for Marienbad, but I loved, loved, loved Hiroshima Mon Amour.



I too wasn't much into Rosetta. Aside from Le silence de Lorna, it's my least favorite Dardenne film.

I feel like if Criterion does release The Son, it won't be for a while. Don't hold off on watching it just because it's not in the collection. It's one of the best films of its decade and their best film overall.

I agree with this and took this advice by purchasing the New Yorker DvD of it for close to $10 on eBay. Amazing film. Even more for me because I did not eve read the synopsis and was on the edge of my seat trying to figure what Olivier Gourmet 's character was up to for the first 30 minutes until we learn what it is and why. The rest of the film only gets more tense from there.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

They're all worth watching, in my opinion.

I'd go with Le Cercle Rouge on Blu-ray next, since it's quite similar to Army of Shadows from a stylistic standpoint. (Because of the covert nature of the Army of Shadows characters, there are a lot of parallels between that French Resistance story and Melville's crime/heist/gangster films.)

Leon Morin, Priest is a brilliant Melville film in a different way, because it is more cerebral in nature, but it is still infinitely watchable.

I cannot wait until Le Samourai hits on Blu-ray one of these days. That movie is just the epitome of cool. Everything comes together with the jazz soundtrack, the cinematography, the existentialism, and the story arc.

Le Doulos is a favorite of mine. Probably like that more than Samourai, but I need to re-watch the latter.

[ElliesDad]

Originally Posted by metaridley

[Show spoiler]My Criterion order shipped this morning. Impressive! Most impressive.

I refuse to watch films in which animals (especially dogs) are put in jeopardy/neglected/killed/etc., if I know about it beforehand. Otherwise I'd watch this.

Go ahead and enjoy!

[Show spoiler]It's a wonderful film and the little dog is fine in the end. I too had to be sure of that before watching it.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by iScottie

Now that I've seen Rosetta, I can rank the Dardenne Brothers films in order from most favorite to least favorite. The Kid With A Bike is my most favorite one, followed by La Promesse, and lastly Rosetta.

I didn't like Rosetta. I think the concept was good and it had a realistic portrayal of a terrible home life, but it was so repetitive after a while. The characters all ended up getting on my nerves.

Don't get me wrong, Rosetta lived a pretty terrible life, but I feel as if the other films had a stronger impact on me. The kids in those films were much younger and already had a terrible childhood. We didn't see Rosetta's childhood per say, but she appeared to have been high school age - where the other kids were only in elementary / middle school.

Two questions I have about the film:

[Show spoiler]1. What was wrong with her stomach?
2. Did she fail killing herself at the end?

[Show spoiler]1. The hair dryer remedy is a homespun treatment for menstrual cramps... so perhaps.
2. Yeah. She gave up. But even then, she failed, lol.

Weird, Rosetta was my favorite of the 3 films. I didn't really connect with La Promesse at all. Shows the variety of tastes and how different people connect with different stories, although we all agree they are amazing filmmakers.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by retablo

Le Doulos is a favorite of mine. Probably like that more than Samourai, but I need to re-watch the latter.

I need to go back and watch Le Doulos and Le Deuxième Souffle both again. I have not revisited those DVDs in a year, and that's unforgivable for my Melville fan street credibility. Haha.

They're both exceedingly cool and a good bridge between Bob Le Flambeur and the later films.

[metaridley]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

That's a good way to look at it.

Wake in Fright carries things to the next level, and it's genuinely a disturbing take on the hunting. Of course, a lot of things about that movie disturb me. It's sort of the wild card of my Blu-ray collection, along with Peckinpah's Straw Dogs and John Boorman's Deliverance.

Hmm, I think I'll avoid that one. Deliverance wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (when it comes to disturbing content) but maybe that's because I braced myself for the worst before watching it. Haven't seen Straw Dogs.

Originally Posted by ElliesDad

Go ahead and enjoy!

[Show spoiler]It's a wonderful film and the little dog is fine in the end. I too had to be sure of that before watching it.

Really? Okay, I might check it out after all. I'll hold you personally responsible if I decide to watch it and something bad happens to the dog, though.

[Hawkguy]

Originally Posted by brandon_260

I too wasn't much into Rosetta. Aside from Le silence de Lorna, it's my least favorite Dardenne film.

I liked that film slightly more than Rosetta, actually (I'm probably the only person that thinks that, unless if you're saying that too)

[ElliesDad]

Originally Posted by metaridley

[Show spoiler]Hmm, I think I'll avoid that one. Deliverance wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (when it comes to disturbing content) but maybe that's because I braced myself for the worst before watching it. Haven't seen Straw Dogs.

Really? Okay, I might check it out after all. I'll hold you personally responsible if I decide to watch it and something bad happens to the dog, though.

Would never do that!

[brandon_260]

Originally Posted by CoopFilm

I liked that film slightly more than Rosetta, actually (I'm probably the only person that thinks that, unless if you're saying that too)

I preferred Rosetta over Lorna, just slightly though. Lorna does have another fantastic performance from Jeremie Renier that makes watching the film worth it.

[MitchA17]

Ordered Paris, Texas and Wings of Desire from the flash sale. I caught a break there, as Paris, Texas was sold out seconds after I put it in the cart !

I didn't pick up On the Waterfront like everyone else, as I try to blind buy as little as possible (even Criterion titles). Added it to my Netflix que, and if I love it, I'll pick it up at the next B&N sale.

Looking at the Criterion site now, you'd think it was just after Black Friday. Guess they know how to get rid of oversupply .

On a side note, does anyone know if the rumors about a Playtime restoration and reissue are true? It's really irritating to me that I bought a copy of Chungking Express for $30 on Amazon when they announced that was going OOP, only to see the price drop to $21 for quite a while afterwards, and see that they still have copies available. Playtime, however, is now $70 at cheapest after staying at normal price for about a week after going OOP. Should I wait for a restoration/reissue, or am I up a creek on this one?

[R o d]

Originally Posted by lim.davidd

thanks, will try to add the Three Colors Trilogy

And don't forget Double Life of Veronique as iScottie suggests. In fact, I would rank that one ahead of the Three Colors. The bottom line is your collection will improve greatly with the addition of any Kieslowski.

[metaridley]

Originally Posted by r o d

and don't forget double life of veronique as iscottie suggests. In fact, i would rank that one ahead of the three colors. The bottom line is your collection will improve greatly with the addition of any kieslowski.

+1